This invention relates to the production of carbon-carbon composite materials. Such composites are used, for instance, in aircraft, automobile, and train braking systems. More specifically, this invention provides a method for the automated production of carbon-carbon composites with control over fiber type, fiber length, and fiber volume fraction, in order to permit optimization of mechanical, thermal, and wear properties of the composites.
Significant effort over the years has gone into the improvement of carbon-carbon composites. For instance, Zak et al, Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 6, pp. 107–118 (2000), discuss mechanical properties of short-fiber layered composites. Liakus et al, Composite Structures, vol. 61, pp. 363–374 (2003), explore the relationships between processing, microstructures, and properties for short fiber reinforced composite structures obtained by a spray deposition process. Siegmund et al, Transactions of the North American Manufacturing Institution of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, vol. 20, pp. 557–564 (2002), propose a novel approach to manufacturing low cost high temperature composite materials. Wood et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,470 B1, disclose the rapid densification of porous bodies (performs) with high viscosity resins or pitches using a resin transfer molding process. Fatz et al, Proceedings of the 17th Technical Conference of the American Society of Composites, 21–23 Oct. 2002, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., described certain aspects of the manufacture of functionally gradient carbon-carbon composites. Suresh et al review relevant properties in “Fundamentals of Functionally Graded Materials”, The University Press, Cambridge (1997). And Jørgensen et al, International Journal of Solids and Structures, vol. 35, pp. 5097–5113 (1998), discuss the use of composite laminates with controlled gradients in elastic constants to improve response to contact loading.